What ecological niche do white sturgeons occupy near the riverbed substrate?
Answer
Generalized scavenger and predator
White sturgeons are classified as benthic fish, meaning their entire feeding strategy centers on life near or on the riverbed. Their ecological role is not that of a fast, open-water pursuit predator; rather, they are methodical foragers functioning as large, generalized scavengers and predators within that lower substrate environment. Their diet is varied, incorporating bottom-dwelling organisms like crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, and smaller fish that share their habitat. This specialized feeding niche is facilitated by their protrusible mouth and sensitive barbels used to probe and vacuum up buried items.
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